What is Mesh?

What is Mesh?
The world of fashion has seen the popularity of mesh garments soar within the last few years, but exactly what is mesh, and why are stores and designers alike fawning over it? This sheer, soft fabric with tons of tiny holes has been loosely woven or knitted to create the signature look and structure.

How is Mesh made?
‘Mesh’ itself refers to a knitted structure of fibres and is technically a barrier created from connected strands. The yarns are knitted or woven together, resulting in a fabric with open spaces in between the strands of yarn. Mesh isn’t only used for fashion fabrics, and can be made from a huge range of materials depending on its intended use – it isn’t limited to fabrics for textiles.

What is Mesh made from?
When it comes to mesh fabric, the material is typically made from polyester or nylon. The synthetic fibers are woven to create a flexible, net-like fabric which has a huge range of uses. Contrasting to this, mesh can also be created from metals for a sturdier and more structured material, often for industrial use.

Nylon vs. Polyester Mesh
Mesh fabric is typically made from polyester or nylon, and on face value, these two types of mesh don’t seem all that different. Both synthetics can be used for similar applications, but there are differences between the two types of fabric. Nylon is made from polyamides, whilst polyester is comprised of polyester materials and can also be made using plant materials. As a result, polyester is more fibrous to the touch while the feeling of nylon resembles silk. Nylon also has more stretch to it than polyester. Nylon is longer-lasting than polyester, so for items that will have a lot of wear and tear it may be the better option to go for.